A Banner Year For Chanticleer Athletics: 2012-13 Year In Review

CONWAY - The 2012-13 season was record-setting for the Coastal Carolina University Department of Athletics. The nearly 425 student-athletes experienced tremendous success on the playing fields, in the classroom and in the community.

Below is an overview of the Chanticleers' 2012-13 season. See attached 2012-13 Athletics Year in Review for additional and more detailed information.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS• 256 student-athletes earned a 3.0 or better GPA during the fall semester• 244 student-athletes earned a 3.0 or better GPA during the spring semester• 65 student-athletes graduated this year• 20 student-athletes achieved President's List recognition with a perfect 4.0 GPA• Chanticleer student-athletes finished the 2012-13 academic year with a GPA of 3.02• Justin Creel (Baseball), Brittany Henderson (Women's Golf) and Lily Yednock (Women's Lacrosse) were named Big South Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year• Creel was named a Big South Conference Christenberry Award Winner for academic achievement -- the 16th in Coastal Carolina history• Creel and Henderson earned Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors• Two student-athletes were named Wall Fellows: Dominque De Wit (Women's Tennis) and Meghan Laffin (Volleyball); 24 student-athletes have been inducted in the prestigious program since it was launched in 1995

ATHLETIC SUCCESS• Coastal Carolina closed the year ranked 79th out of 346 Division I programs in the Learfield Director's Cup Standings• 12 of 18 sports programs finished either in first or second in the Big South Conference• 9 Big South Regular Season, Division or Tournament Championships Football, Men's Soccer, Women's Indoor Track and Field, Men's Tennis [regular season and tournament], Women's Golf, Men's Golf, Softball, Baseball [South Division]• 6 NCAA postseason bids by teams and several by individuals in the sport of Track & Field• 10 Big South Players of the Year• 107 All-Big South Honorees• Men's golf advanced to the NCAA Championship, placing 22nd in the 30-team field• Women's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams advanced to the NCAA Championship• Men's Soccer program ranked in the top 10 nationally and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16• Ashton Bennett became the first Men's Soccer student-athlete in both Coastal and Big South history to be a two-time, first team All-American• Football won its first ever playoff game in advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16• Men's Basketball defeated Clemson by 23 points as we christened the first season in The HTC Center• Erica Peake, was named second team All-American, finishing ninth in the country in the 200m at the NCAA Indoor Championships• Women's Lacrosse officially began competition as the 18th sports program• Both the men's and women's programs will finish either first or second in Big South Conference Sasser Cup Standings

COMMUNITY SUCCESSStudent-Athletes to date have contributed more than 2,500 hours of community service for projects including:• Collected more than 7,200 lbs. of food during Chants for Kids Food Drive• Adopted 31 children during the holiday season and provided a Christmas experience• Men's and Women's Soccer and Baseball are regular volunteers with the Myrtle Beach Miracle League• Track and Field, Women's Basketball and Softball are regular volunteers at Pee Dee Elementary School• Student-athletes donated $2,000 in school supplies to Pee Dee Elementary School as part of the back-pack buddies initiative• Student-Athlete Advisory Council donated $2,500 to Pee Dee Elementary School to assist in allowing underprivileged children to attend various field trips• 93 student-athletes participated in the United Way Community Reading Program in March

MISCELLANEOUS• Officially opened The HTC Center in fall 2012 and played host to South Carolina (Volleyball), North Carolina (Women's Basketball) and Clemson (Men's Basketball)• Hosted the first ever combined (Men and Women's) Big South Conference Basketball Championship event. Twenty-three teams, 21 games over six days with an estimated economic impact to the Grand Strand Community of $2.8 million• Led the Big South Conference in Men's Basketball home attendance with a season average of 2,425 fans per game• Completed year one of the 54-in-54 football game enhancement initiative that included the installation of new video board and sound system at Brooks Stadium• Construction is under way for $10.2 million baseball and softball stadium complex, to be completed in spring 2014.• Launched re-design of www.GoCCUSports.com• Implemented new ticket solution and donor management systems• Increased ticket and sponsorship revenue by nearly 25 percent over previous year